From Pam Ehrlich, SPA President:Great turnout for first SPA meeting of the year! Counselor Tara Heitman talked about the new social programs that are going into place this year. See the SPA minutes (posted on the SPA Spot mainpage) to learn more. The next SPA meeting is Wednesday, Oct. 10th. We hope to see you there. In the meantime, we have a lot of activities coming up, most notably the Hot Rod Hoedown on Sept. 30. More details about the hoedown on our mainpage, along with these stories:

• Hot Rod Hoedown just two weeks away; please RSVP ASAP!• Donate a prize or bring us your pies (or do both!)• It takes a village to host a hoedown• High School Afterschool trip to the movies on Sept. 21st• Scholastic book order deadline is September 20th

The first of our High School Afterschool Movie trips for the year will be Friday, Sept. 21st. This SPA-sponsored event is open to all high school students and will be chaperoned by parents. High School students who are attending need to bring approximately twenty dollars to purchase their own ticket and snacks. This is a great way for students to socialize outside of school and a fun time for all.Details below:Date: Friday, September 21Time: 3:10 to 6:00 p.m. (approx.)Location: San Mateo Cinemark Century Theaters • Event for High School students; chaperoned by parents.• Students meet in Hayden Hall after dismissal; will walk to San Mateo Cinemark Century Theaters.• Students pay for their own ticket and snacks (approximately $20). • Families are responsible for transportation after movie. Chaperones will walk students to train station as needed.• Movie and time of showing TBA (selected the week of the event and emailed to high school families). Any questions, email Julie Hamilton

From Pam Ehrlich, SPA President:Welcome to another edition of the SPA Spot. As a reminder, please note that the Stanbridge Parent Association has monthly meetings, usually on the second Wednesday of every month at 8:30 a.m. in Hayden Hall. Attending SPA meetings is a great way to stay informed, learn what the other divisions (grade level groups) are doing, and give your input. The next SPA meeting is this Wednesday, September 12th. At the meeting, we will discuss upcoming speakers and events (like the Hoedown), topics for potential speakers, and break into divisional meetings. I hope to see you there. This is a busy time of year for us, with lots of information going home, so please be sure to check our page each Friday for updates. Any additional news that needs to be passed along during the week will be posted here on the Bridge Blog and/or emailed home. Please note that this is your last chance to order Stanbridge Bulldog wear, which qualifies as school uniform clothing. The deadline for orders and payment has been extended to Monday, Sept. 10th and you can download an order form on our website’s Forms page. Hoedown invitations should have been received at your home address. Please purchase Hoedown tickets by Friday, Sept. 21. The Hot Rod Hoedown is Sunday, Sept. 30th from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Also, we are looking for parents/guardians to donate prizes for the big raffle. Details on how to donate, along with more information about the Hoedown, and the official flyer, are on the SPA Spot mainpage. Volunteer forms still needed! Please fill out the 2012-2013 volunteer form and send to Susie Mielke. Our mainpage lists upcoming events and the volunteer positions that require staffing. As you can see, we still need a number of helping hands for the Hoedown, so please don’t be shy. Also, understand that signing-up for a future event is not a firm commitment, so don’t feel that you are “locked-in” by volunteering. Understand, however, that many of these events are volunteer-driven and cannot take place without adequate staffing. Volunteering is a great way to socialize with other members of the Stanbridge Community and an easy way to take part in these special Stanbridge events. A few final notes:

Friday Bake Sales have started. Have your child bring $1 if you would like him/her to be able to buy a treat. The money goes toward paying the DJ for the high school dances.

The first After School Movie for the year will be Friday, Sept. 21st at the San Mateo Cinemark Century Theaters. This is a recurring event for high school students, chaperoned by parents. Students meet in Hayden Hall after dismissal and walk to the theaters by the Caltrain station to see a newly-released film. Students pay for their own ticket and snacks (approximately $20). Families are responsible for transportation after movie; chaperones will walk students to train station as needed. The movie and time of showing will be selected the week of the event and emailed to high school families, as well as posted on SPA Spot page. If you have any questions, email Susie Mielke or Julie Hamilton.

This week's SPA Spot is now online in the Parent Portal section of our website. In this week's update, saying "Thank You" to the many parent volunteers who helped with Field Day and other SPA events, as well as reminders about next Friday's graduation.

On Friday, May 25th, High School Teacher and Transition Coordinator Melissa Myers spoke with eighth-grade families who will be sending their child to Stanbridge's ninth grade next year. Melissa talked about the high school curriculum, staff, schedules and different graduation tracks, as well as many other topics of interest to incoming freshman parents.

The minutes from that meeting have now been posted to the SPA Spot page. Stanbridge families can access the page through our website's Parent Portal.

This week's SPA Spot is now online in the Parent Portal section of our website. In this week's update, more details on next week's Spirit Week and Field Day, as well as reminders about graduation and other end-of-the-year events.

This week's SPA Spot is now online in the Parent Portal section of our website. In this week's update, additional listings of the 2012-2013 SPA Board, plus a volunteer call-out for the June 1st Field Day and notes about next month's graduation ceremony.

This week's SPA Spot is now online in the Parent Portal section of our website. In this week's update, listings of the 2012-2013 SPA Board, plus a volunteer call-out for the June 1st Field Day and a final Thank You to our prom volunteers.

This week's SPA Spot is now online in the Parent Portal section of our website. In this week's update, "Thank Yous" to all of the prom volunteers, as well as those who helped organize Teacher Appreciation Week. Also, notes on this month's SPA meeting, the final one of the 2011-2012 school year.

Pam has posted a special mid-week update to the Stanbridge Parent Association's SPA Spot page. The update includes a special thank you to all of the volunteers who helped make last Friday's Prom a huge success. Stanbridge parents and guardians can access the page through our Parent Portal.

This week's SPA Spot is now online in the Parent Portal section of our website. In this week's update, we've posted minutes from the April SPA meeting, notes about next week's "Teacher Appreciation Week" and an addition to the May activities calendar.

A reminder that this year's High School Prom is Friday, April 27th from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. in Hayden Hall. Students must purchase their prom tickets in advance, $30 from the Main Office. The deadline for buying tickets is Tuesday, April 24th. Full details on this year's Prom, including how you can help volunteer to set-up, are in our Parent Portal's SPA Spot.

This week's SPA Spot is now online in the Parent Portal section of our website. Check this week's update for news about this week's Common Ground speaker and the need for volunteers to attend the presentation. Also, calls for volunteers to help with Friday's Prom set-up and next year's SPA board.

Stanbridge Academy is a caring, inclusive K-12 school for students with mild to moderate learning differences and social communication disorders. We use an individualized, whole student approach so that students thrive and develop their academic, social, and emotional capabilities to their fullest potential.